Warning: Another Picture heavy PostFor part 1 of the Scotland weekend click here, for MORE SCOTLAND from another trip HERE.Our Inverness Trip will be a whole other post, lol. So to recap: My friend from New Orleans (USA) came to a conference in England & then stayed 2+ weeks with me. We went adventuring (mostly in Scotland) and knocked some things off her bucket list. And we took about a million photos, some of which are here. This post focuses on day 2 of being in Glasgow, Scotland.

And it was free.

Much bigger place than I imagined. We were able to explore 3 full floors.

On July 29th we drove my NOLA buddy BACK to Scotland. She as checking into a hotel in Glasgow for the night to catch a red eye flight to London and then back to the US. This was the ending of her 3 week long adventure in the United Kingdom. She really, really loves Scotland and Ireland...not so much England. So this was fitting. Click here to read about some of our adventures - I still have about a thousand pictures to sort and a lot to blog about.

We stopped in Carlise for fuel and supplies.

So as sad as I was to see her go, I had a beach trip planned the day after we dropped her off. The English beach wasn't much warmer, but it did give me a break and let me catch up on my sleep.

I already miss her terribly. Saw so many things she would have loved. But maybe next time. Who knows where we will meet up at next? I feel a New Orleans trip coming on...

See you at the airport-

It was still cold and I was still coughing.

In case you needed to know how to say Toilet in Scottish Gaelic. Your welcome.

It was sad sending her off. We have been close friends for the last 10 years and she is probably the only one of my buddies who would make the effort to come to #England to visit me. So no pictures of our goodbye, it was just a lot of crying and shit.

We turned around and headed back to England right after. No sight seeing in Glasgow (as I've been like 3 times in 2 weeks) Both she and I were about ill too. We had been in the cold and rain, walking around cities, castles and bogs. #GoodTimes

It was a gray, over cast day. (July in England, lol) When we set off for the train station.

*WARNING PICTURE HEAVY TRAVEL POST*Last Friday we took the train from Penrith, Cumbria to Glasgow, Scotland. I have not been to Scotland (other than just over the line) in approx. 6 years. We elected to make 2 or 3 small trips over the rest of July, as I have company from New Orleans in town. She has never been to Scotland, but has seen Ireland and England before, so she understands how just a few miles can be a BIG change in scenery and city life.

Starting off at the train station.

Not really many people waiting for trains...

I may complain about all the rain and colder temps here, but I do love all the flowers!

Exploring the small train station while waiting for our train.

Our station change..

Arriving in Glasgow, Scotland.

Love the details of the station.

The only picture I took in the hotel, lol At the Breakfast buffet and the room #.

It was a dark, over cast day - so I took 1/2 pictures in HD to show the colors. So consider yourself warned!

But on to sight seeing-

Hospital -

Cathedral

There was a wedding - so we waited till it was over to go inside.

So we went shopping!

And then before the rains came we were off again.

Necropolis

This place is super huge!

Twisted Tree..

The roses were massive and smelled so nice.

And the rain moved in..

So we headed into the cathedral.

Next post on the cathedral and other places we went. See you at the airport!

It seems like its been another super busy week, but as I pour over my iPhone and Mac pictures, for the week it appears I haven't done shit. I think it would be more accurate to say "I've been busy,but just not doing anything exciting or picture worthy". #FMLWant to see a snap of me cleaning the toilet? No, me neither.Here are a few of (the non toilet) related projects I did feel the need to snap photos of:

and Im not sure why there are always o many picture on my iPhone. It's almost like I walk around with it in my hand....

I also log the weather, because I cannot believe how cool it is..for JULY!

WTF? Why is this such a picture heavy post if nothing happened?

Not a mystery, but I just love the pansies and bachelor buttons.

More mystery flowers opened up in the garden.

See? I continue to be fascinated by the weather..Meanwhile inside the house.

My son is busy assembling IKEA wonders.

I've tried to eat better. I love fruit and I always feel better when I eat more fruit and less junk. Its just I get lazy to prepare it. There are so many other thing I would like to do...Like plan my next adventure.

Goodies found at a farm on the side of the road. (Its a British thing, I think..)

Bed/futon complete!

Speaking of...here is a bit of Light reading I picked up. Ok, I did leave the house this week. Here are some of the "odd" stuff I noted.

More goodies arrived from Ikea. We are moving the futon into library for guest. Because we have a huge house full of rooms, but no actual "Guest Bedroom" - because we are antisocial. LOL

Strawberries! #Yum! We stopped to just see what it was. It was unmanned and had a "honest" box to drop money in. Then we went on to do the weekly shopping and look at weird shit in supermarket...

I try my best to stay positive and downplay negatives. I know this sound easy, but sometimes this can save your entire trip. Really.It's easy to becomes excited over the next "big" adventure when your sitting on your own comfy couch, pouring over glossy travel magazines, but after a 12+hour flight, missing luggage, screaming children, horrible weather and lost reservations it can take the patience of a Buddha to just laugh it off. International travel is an adventure. Period end of sentence. It's not like home, its doesn't smell like home, people don't behave like at home, nor speak like at home and its going to be stressful at times. If this terrifies you, then stay at home.

What do I do and how do I do it? Are the 2 most asked questions, over and over.. Mostly I laugh stuff off and try to not take myself so seriously. I also remind myself that I am representing my Home Land. Believe it or not, but some people have never met an America. *Gasp*Much less a Texan. I've heard everything from "Don't let them know you are an American. They ALL HATE US!" to "Why don't you have an oil well if your from Texas?" * ___ *

So even as I enjoy the culture shock I remind myself that a whole nation will be judged on how I act in the Airport, the cafe, on a bus or faced with a strange and smelly toilet. The term "Pushy Americans" & "Loud Americans" started from something, after all. Remember you have no control over other people or events (or toilets.) You do have control over how YOU respond. Plus no matter how terrible, scary or strange some thing is, it will make a GREAT story when you return home!

So get off the couch and start on that Great Adventure and I will see you at the airport!

I have been hearing about the Organic Mill since last December. People keep asking me if I have been and what I ate there, or if I sampled any of the flours? I hadn't a chance to go in January before we left for the States, so now that we are back we went for tea and a light lunch.

But first we looked around and enjoyed the flowers.

And the actual mill was working that day.

We around the other side to get a quick glimpse of it turning & grinding the flour.

Fresh made breads with the flour ground there. You can purchase a wide variety of organic flours in the shop.

They also sell a few gift type items.

The bowl was way too much for me to finish.

I ate all I could then we went for another stroll outside.

Wild garden. This area, I was told, was allow to go back to nature.

Its really pretty with the wildflowers.

Chickens are on patrol-

Crystal clear water-

Not chickens-

More wildflowers-

It's really a very pretty and tranquil place.

The entrance-

The Water Wheel, from a different view.

The Organic Mill is located in North Cumbria, England. There were a few people coming and going during our time there, but if you visit during the week it is much less busy. Allow enough time to wander around, see the flowers, tour the mill and chase the chickens, lol. I was glad I had time to eat and explore the grounds, without rushing. I enjoyed it and will visit again soon. I think this will be a regular spot for us to bring guests.

Author

Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too!

From art to shopping I'm just an average woman Enjoying and learning about life veery day. Follow my journeys as I travel, shop, and meditate my way through life...